The ABS defines a job vacancy as a job available for immediate filling on the survey reference date and for which recruitment action has been taken by the employer. Job vacancy statistics can be used to assess changes in the demand for labour, and are considered to be a leading indicator of employment.

Graph 8.60 presents quarterly trend estimates of job vacancies for the period May 1988 to May 2008. It shows that the number of job vacancies decreased to 30,300 in August 1991, reflecting the labour market downturn in the early 1990s. The number of job vacancies then trended upwards to a high of 115,100 in May 2000, before falling to 88,900 in November 2001. Job vacancies then increased again, reaching a new record high of 183,600 in May 2008.

8.60 JOB VACANCIES(a)

The number of job vacancies in May 2008 was highest in the Property and business services industry (50,200) followed by Retail trade (25,700), Manufacturing (18,500) and Health and community services (17,000) industries. Property and business services has had the highest number of job vacancies in May in each of the past five years (table 8.61).

8.61 JOB VACANCIES, By industry(a) - May

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

`000

`000

`000

`000

`000

Mining

2.0

2.7

3.9

5.0

6.0

Manufacturing

16.1

14.0

13.0

16.0

18.5

Electricity, gas and water supply

0.4

1.0

0.9

0.9

1.2

Construction

*7.1

*9.7

9.6

7.2

9.4

Wholesale trade

7.3

*6.6

11.6

7.6

10.9

Retail trade

21.8

21.1

21.6

28.5

25.7

Accommodation, cafes and restaurants

*3.8

6.3

6.7

9.9

6.4

Transport and storage

*3.0

*4.5

3.1

4.2

4.6

Communication services

0.7

0.6

*1.1

*1.8

2.5

Finance and insurance

4.7

7.4

8.1

9.4

8.9

Property and business services

27.7

31.9

35.3

40.5

50.2

Government administration and defence

4.9

6.3

8.7

7.8

7.1

Education

4.5

4.1

3.6

4.3

5.5

Health and community services

12.1

14.0

14.9

14.2

17.0

Cultural and recreational services

*2.0

3.7

3.9

3.4

*3.7

Personal and other services

*4.6

*4.0

*5.8

*5.9

*6.9

All industries

122.7

137.8

152.0

166.5

184.4

* estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution